With the 2026 NBA Draft still over two weeks away, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon has time to plot and plan for several courses of action on draft night depending on how the first 20 selections pan out before Detroit makes their selection. 

After winning 60 games in the regular season, the Pistons proved that their core components can work together in a winning basketball setting, and advancing past the first round was a crucial step that needed to be taken for Detroit. But Langdon has the opportunity to tweak and mold the Pistons’ roster a bit more so that the squad will be capable of responding when teams pack the paint during the postseason next year. 

But in addition to adding three-point shooters to the Pistons, Langdon has the chance to shore up Detroit’s frontcourt for years to come, which would be a prudent move to make considering 35-year old power forward Tobias Harris, who started every game when healthy last season, is entering unrestricted free agency. Now, the Pistons intend to bring Harris back on a new deal, but drafting a young big man this offseason would allow for the organization to address their power forward depth on a low-risk deal.

Among prospects who could help the Pistons offer a more balanced attack moving forward, Tennessee forward Nate Ament is a high-ceiling big man at 6-10 who has a lot of tools that look to translate to the NBA level. Last season, Ament averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a freshman for the Vols while earning the start in each of his 35 contests, and his face-up shooting game, whether coming off the dribble or of the catch-and-shoot variety, is an element that could fundamentally change the Pistons’ offensive potential. Ament reached 58% of his total scoring through jump shots with a fairly steady split between two-pointers and threes, plus he handles the ball exceedingly well for a big man of his size with agility to spare. Ament could function as a true stretch-four with strong vision when stationed out on the perimeter given his propensity to slip entry passes into the post when not slashing towards the rim himself. 

Based on that profile, Ament has all the tools to wind up as a lottery pick on draft night, and that top 15 status would not be a bit out of place. However, Ament could serve to work on his shooting efficiency while bulking up at the pro level, but these are common points of contention regarding rookie NBA players, certainly not anything to dissuade a team from taking a chance on a player with such a dynamic skill set. 

Of course, the Pistons do have Ron Holland, who can play a bit of the four when asked to, but he is developing more in the Ausar Thompson mold as an impactful, turnover-producing on-ball defender with the offensive contributions of a slashing wing. Both Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed could chip in at power forward if need be, but neither player fit the position like a glove. Ament, on the other hand, could be viewed more as an extra tall wing, but his size lends itself to the power forward slot, so the Pistons would have even more optionality for their squad moving forward if Ament falls to Detroit on draft night. 

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